I knew the 17th-century kings from a mnemonic that my world history teacher gave (Charlie the tuna in the middle of the sandwich≡James I-Charles I-Charles II-James II), but not much more than that. Most of my English history came by way of lit classes which had Milton the only author between the Cavalier poets from the early 17th century and Alexander Pope in the mid-18th century, so your anecdotal experience holds up with my Gen X education.